Aberdeen 0 - 0 Dundee

At Aberdeen, before about 18,000 spectators. A gusty wind considerably hampered the players in their movements, with the result that their shooting appeared wild and reckless. Aberdeen pressed continuously throughout the first half, but failed to score. Dundee had their turn in the second period, but were equally unsuccessful in beating the defence, and a hard game ended in a pointless draw.

Source: The Scotsman, 10th February 1908

What is known in football circles as the "Derby" of the north - the meeting of the Aberdeen and Dundee teams - took place on Saturday afternoon at Pittodrie Park, Aberdeen. The matches between these northern rivals usually attract a tremendous crowds of spectators, and a meeting in the second round of the Scottish Cup competition was expected to create a record attendance at a football match in Aberdeen, the directors of the club having made preparations for the accommodation of 20,000 people. The inter-city rivalry between Aberdeen and Dundee affects more than those who are interested in football, and a large number of people attend at Pittodrie when these teams meet, purely out of local patriotism, with a desire to see the representatives of Bon-Accord victorious. So far the Aberdeen team have had much the worst of the argument, having failed to beat the Dundee team either in the Scottish League of the national cup competition, although they have several times, as on Saturday, succeeded in drawing the game. So recently as 7th December the same teams met at Pittodrie, the result of a stubbornly contested game, in which the Dundonians were much superior, being a draw of a goal each. Much depended on the weather. The Dundee team being heavier and stronger, are better suited with the playing pitch on the heavy side, but the lighter Aberdeen players are seen to the best advantage on a hard, fast surface. Accordingly on Saturday morning, when it was seen that there was a heavy fall of rain, the hopes of the Aberdeen team's supporters were somewhat lowered, but as the day advanced and the weather cleared up, with a occasionally links of sunshine, and a stiffish breeze, the conditions for the Aberdeen team improved, and an hour or two before the start of the game the pitch at Pittodrie was greatly to their liking, although the highly wind was not favourable to accurate passing and shooting.

These matches excite as much interest in Dundee as in Aberdeen, and special trains were run from Tayside. Three specials arrived shortly after two o'clock, conveying football excursion mists from Dundee. The trains were all well filled. Two specials also arrived from Lowell, one from Peterhead and Fraser Mara, and one from hell game, both of which picked up excursion mists by the way. Altogether about 1800 enthusiasts arrived. The scene at Pittodrie and on the roads leading to it for an hour before the match was worth seeing. Every available car was put on the road, and they were all overcrowded. There was an endless procession of camps, and King Street was thronged with men and boys, and also many ladies, all hurrying to wards the scene of the great encounter. Half-an-hour before the kick-off, the enclosure seemed to be packed to its utmost capacity, and still the turnstiles discharged apparently endless streams of enthusiasts. The grandstands were packed, not a seat being available. At three o'clock, fifteen minutes from the start, the interior of Pittodrie Park around the arena was one solid mass of closely packed humanity, which he netted the hum of thousands of voices eagerly discussing the approaching struggle. The spectators numbered at 17,000, the largest attendance at a football match in the history of the game in Aberdeen.
To both teams were at full strength and were as follows:-

Aberdeen: Macfarlane; Colman, Hume; Halkett, McIntosh, Low; Macdonald, Muir, Murray, O'Hagan, Lennie.
Dundee: Crumley; Mackenzie, Chaplin; Lee, Dainty, Jeffray; Webb, Neil, Hunter, Macfarlane, Fraser. The referee was Mr. J. B. stark, Airdrie.

THE GAME

The Aberdeen players were the first out, and the cheer which greeted them showed that they were first favourites, although the welcome accorded to the Dundee men a few minutes later indicated that they had no inconsiderable support from their devoted camp followers. The strong wind blew down the field, and the team which had to play against the breeze had also to face the sun's rays, so that the winning of the toss was an important factor in the game. What a cheer went up when it was seen that Halkett, the Aberdeen captain, had choice of ends, and had selected to play to wards the sea, with the wind and the sun behind. Hunter kicked off, and in a few minutes the game was fast and furious. Dundee of the first to press the attack, a foul by one of their forwards giving relief. The Aberdeen players did their best to settle down, but the wind upset their calculations, the light ball, on the fast turf, travelling at a tremendous speed. Throughout the first half the game was completely spoiled by the wind, which had as much sport with the ball as the 22 players. Passes miscarried, shots for goal were blown off the mark, and frequently skyward, and do what they might the players could not keep the ball low. Too often the Dundee defenders drove the ball far out of the ground into the adjoining gardens and fields, and, all together, the play in the first half was not at all worthy of the occasion. Although Aberdeen were not much helped in their attack by the wind, their defence had in it a powerful ally, and seldom could the Dundee forwards and half-backs make headway, as is evident from the fact that it was not until three minutes from the interval that Macfarlane had to handle the ball, and even then the shot which came in did not reach his goal line, the custodian coming out to meet the ball. The incidents in the first half worthy of note were few and far between, the wind worrying the attacking Aberdeen team quite as much as the Dundee forwards. The Aberdeen forwards were tricky and very anxious to score, but when they managed to retain command of the ball at close quarters their shooting was bad. O'Hagan and Lennie lead many attacks, and on the other wing Muir and Macdonald had several clever runs, while the Aberdeen half-backs worked hard, Low having several long shots at Crumley's charge. The Dundee defence played heroically, half-backs and backs tackling and kicking fearlessly, and utilising the strong wind with great judgement, so that three kicks from byes formed a strong feature of their defence. All Dundee's efforts to shake off the persistent attack on their defence were made on the left by Fraser and Macfarlane, but they came to naught, due to the strong wall barrier presented by Halkett and McIntosh, and particularly Colman, whose tackling was superb and his judgment seldom at fault. Wilfred Low was also a form in the flesh of the Dundonians, Webb and Neal being impotent against him. Several of the scrimmages in the Dundee goal were most exciting, Muir being knocked off on one occasion just as he was taking a pot shot. The most likely shot of the first half was a clever drive by Lennie, the ball dropping over the bar at the far corner. Crumley was late, and had the ball been half a foot lower, Dundee's goal would have fallen. Crumley saved from Macdonald. The Dundee team were pleased when the whistle blew for the interval.

The general opinion among the spectators when the second half was begun in a rising wind was that Aberdeen had lost a chance of entering the third round, and that they would be lucky if they averted defeat. But those who thought so did not know the temper of the Aberdeen players, who started with a dash and determination that surprised and delighted their supporters. Against the wind the Aberdeen half-backs and forwards combined much better than the Dundonians had done, and the forwards were more troublesome at close quarters. Like Aberdeen in the first half, the Dundee forwards were not able to judge the flight of the ball, although the half-backs placed better than the home trio. When about 15 minutes of the second half had gone the wind fell considerably and the game was keenly contested in comparative come, the play on both sides being very fine, although Aberdeen were cleverer in the open, and did most of the pressing. O'Hagan and Lennie were brilliant, and led the Dundee half-backs and backs a merry dance at times, although Lee repeatedly broke up the Aberdeen left wing combination. Macintosh twisted his leg, but was soon hard at work again shadowing the Dundee centre forward. The Aberdeen goal was the first to be seriously threatened, Macfarlane dropping a shot from his namesake with several eager Dundonians close upon him. The ball was scraped away, however, and the Aberdeen spectators recovered from their fright. A fierce attack on the Aberdeen goal was ultimately repulsed, the custodian fielding the ball after stopping a long shot by Fraser. The Dundee team were now going strong, but they found the Aberdeen defence unbeatable, Colman excited admiration by his clean, safe work, his resourcefulness and coolness enabling him to beat the attack time after time. A hard drive by Lee led to a corner kick and when the ball was sent into the Aberdeen goal Hunter almost headed through. The ball went over the line, and the Aberdeen defenders got relief. On another occasion the star performer in the Dundee forward line, Macfarlane, was almost through, when he was smartly deprived of the ball by Low, who, like McIntosh, was strong in defence. It was now Aberdeen's turn to make the hair of the Dundee spectators stand on end, a severe attack on the visitors' goal raising excitement to fever heat. Murray was a trifle slow, and lost a chance of a shot, and a minute later Macdonald banged past, after getting a neat pass from Murray close in. Lennie was tricking Mackenzie in delightful fashion, being helped in this, which greatly please the crowd, by the strategist of the Aberdeen attack, O'Hagan. The Dundee half-backs failed again and again to check the combined attack of the Aberdeen forwards, even Jeffray being left by Muir and Macdonald, although the outside right failed through his not crossing the ball timeously. Macdonald is not Lennie, and cannot hope to beat two or three opponents in succession. Along, fast grounder from Jeffray is foot went all the way to the Aberdeen goal, but Rab Macfarlane was ready, and returned the ball. A few minutes later Macfarlane committed an error of judgment in rushing out, but Colman filled the breach. When the Dundee forwards did get down they converged on goal, and the Aberdeen defenders had to meet a closer attack and was to their liking. In a hot scrimmage Macfarlane fisted the ball away at the expense of a corner. In the next Dundee attack the Dundee Macfarlane gave his Aberdeen namesake a long shot to hold. Brilliant play by Murray, O'Hagan, and Lennie, who were ably supported by Low, raised the enthusiasm of the crowd, but the attack was frustrated by Chaplin, Dundee's powerful left back. Clever work by Macfarlane and Fraser was nullified by a wild shot for goal, which went past, but, not to be denied, Dundee again worked through the Aberdeen defence, Rab Macfarlane rushing out and kicking harmed up the field. So on the game waged, Aberdeen and then Dundee attacking and being repulsed in turn. Lennie was cheered for outwitting and beating three opponents, Dainty having to come twice to kick into touch when Mackenzie and Lee were tricked. Near the close of the game, which had been wonderfully free from detected fouls of a flagrant nature, temper was shown by some of the players, the referee having more than once to give a word of admonition. With 7 minutes to go Aberdeen made a determined attempt to score, but failed, and Dundee's final attack at the other end ended similarly.

On the run of play in the whole game Aberdeen were the superior side, and with the exercise of better judgment might have won. Dundee were strong in defence and weak in attack, their centre forward and right wing being mastered by McIntosh and Low. Lennie and O'Hagan were the best wing on the field, followed by Fraser and Macfarlane. Colman was the outstanding back, with Chaplin second. Halkett played his usual finished game, and although not so effective in defence as McIntosh and Low, placed forward with fine judgment. Dundee's strength lay in their midline, Lee, Dainty, and Jeffray being a rare stout-hearted trio. Neither goalkeeper had very much to do.

RECORD DRAWINGS

The sum drawn at the turnstiles and stands amounted to the huge total of £433 2s 7d, the record for football much in Aberdeen, the previous highest being £398 10s 3d, on the occasion of Dundee's last visits to Pittodrie.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 10th February 1908